1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to roadway guardrail systems and more particularly to an offset block and supporting post for supporting an associated guardrail.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Roadway guardrails are typically comprised of longitudinally extending sections of interconnected guardrails mounted to spaced apart vertically extending supporting posts. The supporting posts are spaced along the edge of a highway surface usually adjacent an intervening shoulder. Usually a mounting block is disposed between the guardrail and the supporting post. Such an arrangement is useful in spacing the guardrail from the supporting posts to minimize the likelihood of an impact between an impinging vehicle and the supporting posts. When there is a contact between a vehicle and the guardrail, especially in the region of a supporting post, the guardrail, due to its shape and composition, will absorb energy from the impinging vehicle. Thereby, the breakage of the supporting posts is minimized allowing the entire system to retain the vehicle in the right-of-way and prevent it from entering an adjacent ditch, field, or other undesired situs.
Guardrails, damaged by vehicular impact, may be readily replaced by removing the bolts which fasten the guardrails to the supporting posts through respective offset blocks. While considerable expense in both time and materials is experienced, the cost is less than the requirement to replace the entire system including the supporting posts.
The prior art guardrail systems typically employed supporting posts and offset block made of wood. Wooden supporting posts and offset blocks have some advantages. However, there are disadvantages to the use wood. Amongst the disadvantages are the wood has a limited service life and tends to constantly be depleting our forests.
It is an object of the present invention to produce a supporting post and offset block for guardrails which will be superior to wood.
Another object of the invention is to produce a supporting post and offset block for guardrails which have an unlimited duty cycle.
Another object of the invention is to produce a supporting post and offset block for guardrails formed of a composite material which is inert to the effect of the environment such as sunlight, heat, cold, rain, and snow.